Summer Camping

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the effective faith- and community-building aspects of retreats and how these concentrated blocks of time can provide optimal opportunities for us to engage with others (and ourselves) on a deeper level. The same goes for summer camps. If the impact of going on a weekend retreat can make a difference in the growth in faith of its participants, imagine what sort of impact spending a week (or more) at camp can have!

We are blessed in New England to have several high-quality outdoor ministries sites and camping programs available to us.They offer a wide variety of opportunities for children and youth, as well as adults, to build Christian community, engage in spiritual reflection, try new spiritual practices, and just plain have fun out of doors.

Check out these beautiful outdoor ministries sites for the members of your congregation, and for yourself. And most importantly, stay connected with those who attend these camp sessions to help them bring back their “mountaintop experiences” (songs, prayers, worship liturgies, games, etc.) and make them a part of your programs and services of worship throughout the rest of the year.

Debbie Gline Allen is the part-time Associate for Faith Formation and Youth Ministries for the historic Massachusetts Conference United Church of Christ. She can be reached at glineallend@macucc.org or by calling 508-603-6601.

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